Yoitsu
Yoitsu was a small village close to the Farbough Farmstead. It was also Helios' hometown before he went off on his own as a rogue. Geography Yoitsu is situated above a small unmarked mountain range. The village resembles a traditional rural village, with thatched roofs and buildings primarily made of sand and mud bricks. As many halflings and small dwarves lived here, many of the houses are smaller and possess smaller ceilings. Most houses are sparsely decorated, with an occasional scroll on one wall or a sculpture of sorts present in most houses. Perhaps the most prominent landmarks in Yoitsu are its Torii Gates. The village is typically shrouded in mystery, with an invisible entrance located on the top of a hill, in a forest clearing where a single Torii Gate stands. Any materials that pass through the gate from the southern side are immediately transported into Yoitsu, and passing through the northern side yields no result whatsoever. It was commonly thought that Yoitsu was a place of fantasy, with many Moonsea dwellers refusing to believe its existence. As such, the village is one shrouded in secrecy, and its inhabitants often stayed out of sight. Torii Gates are also found interspersed throughout the path leading to the Cave of Venomark along West Yoitsu. Inhabitants of Yoitsu were mostly agnostic, but a small minority worshipped Venomark, the God of Deceit. As such, there is a small proportion of houses within Yoitsu that contained Venomark-related worship idols, offerings and tools. These individuals also constructed the Cave of Venomark just west of Yoitsu, and it became a pilgrimage destination for those who worshipped the God of Deceit. Storyline, Arc 1 The party decided to visit Yoitsu on Helios' request, as he felt something strangely familiar about the air around the Farbough Farmstead. Luna, Hollyhana, Kairon and Helios found the Torii gate entrance, and explored what remained of the town after The Great Purge. Yoitsu was once a bustling town with a non-human population which consisted mostly of halflings, dwarves and elves which lived in the region. However, when The Great Purge occurred, the armies of Hillsfar and Zhentil Keep raided Yoitsu and destroyed much of its population and property, including Helios' parents. As such, the town lay abandoned till this day, with hollow shells of once-populated homes littering the villagescape. The party first explored all the houses on the eastern path in Yoitsu, coming across several religious urns and pots that were likely to belong to Venomark's followers. However, Hollyhana and Luna noted a few shuffling shadows outside the buildings. They scurried outside to see what was there, but to no avail. The party then decided to venture up the hill towards the Cave of Venomark. Once at the cave, the party wandered into a subterranean network of stone rooms, each guarded by Gargoyles that perched atop pillars along the corridors. These Gargoyles, as the party discovered, attacked in darkness but would disintegrate instantly into ashes once seen by any party member. After fending off the Gargoyles, Luna collected the ashes in her pouch. The party then encountered a small stone altar, with what appeared to be a stone tomb before them etched with the inscriptions reading "The Skeletons Four; The ashes you must pour". Before they realised that they were supposed to pour the Gargoyle ashes into a receptacle as part of the ritual, Luna reached into the tomb and crushed a skull within, unleashing an astral projection of Venomark that lashed out of the party. As the party made its way out of the cave system, Hollyhana realised that what she sees beyond the cave entrance was an image of a bustling town unlike Yoitsu. Despite this, however, the party quickly runs out of the cave. Kairon, Luna and Helios then find themselves separated from Hollyhana in what is thought to be the Ethereal Plane.